


Entwined For Eternity

by Violett92



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Alternate Ending, But only a little, Eventual reveal, F/M, Felix spoilers, Identity Reveal, Ladybug spoilers, Puppeteer 2, a tiny touch of Lila being a bitch, double reveal, ladrien
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:28:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21742207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violett92/pseuds/Violett92
Summary: Adrien was really starting to regret his life decisions.At the time, it seemed like a great plan: play an innocent prank on Marinette to make her feel a little more at ease around him, in what Plagg referred to as his ‘search for friendship’.Then Marinette started talking, and Adrien realized very, very quickly he was making a big mistake.✦When Marinette confessed her feelings to the “wax statue” of Adrien, he panicked. Instead of backing away, telling her the truth, and asking her if she really meant what she said, he froze.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 5
Kudos: 111





	Entwined For Eternity

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, would you look at that! Another Puppeteer 2 fic. Oops.
> 
> Basically, this is an alternative ending to Marinette’s confession toward Adrien’s statue. Instead of backing away before she kisses him, he freezes, and fails to tell her that he heard everything.
> 
> And then, of course, all the chaos that follows.
> 
> I’ll probably add more tags as I go along.

Adrien was really starting to regret his life decisions.

When he decided to pose where the wax statue of himself should’ve been, he’d had a plan. At the time, it seemed like a great plan: play an innocent prank on Marinette to make her feel a little more at ease around him in what Plagg referred to as his ‘search for friendship’. 

Then Marinette started talking, and Adrien realized very, very quickly he was making a big mistake. 

“Oh,” she breathed after having what looked to Adrien like a miniature heart attack. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea? “It’s only a statue. How come I didn’t see it earlier?”

_ Busted _ , taunted the voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Plagg. 

After gathering herself, Marinette took several steps toward Adrien, not suspicious in the least. “Wow, it looks so. . . real.” She raised a hand, brushing her finger tips lightly along his right cheekbone. He tried to hide his shiver at the contact. If Marinette noticed it, she didn’t let on. “The wax is nearly as hot as skin.”

He wasn’t sure whether to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed when she tucked her nose beneath his chin and sniffed. “It even smells like him.”

She straightened and crossed over to his other side, holding her arms out in a gesture to all of him. It took nearly everything in Adrien to hold back his own smile at her theatrics.

And then she started to speak. “Oh, beautiful statue of Adrien. Your wax is so soft; your yak hair is so silky!” She placed a hand gently against his chest, and as the panic of his situation settled in, he hoped she wouldn’t be able to hear his heartbeat. “Your eyes are so green! Oh, shall I be a statue, too? Everything would be so much easier.”

Should he tell her he’s not really a statue? Would she hate him even more than she already did? He knew her words weren’t meant for his ears, and the more he heard, the more he understood with sinking clarity what was happening.

Marinette stepped close in front of him, lacing her fingers behind his neck, she tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth, an uncertainty in her expression that Adrien knew he wasn’t supposed to see. She avoided his eyes. “Why haven’t we been molded together in the plaster of destiny, marble to marble,” she murmured, then pressed two fingers against his mouth, “wax lips against wax lips, entwined for eternity?”

Adrien wondered if it was wrong to blame Nino for this whole situation. After all, he  was the one who implied that Marinette was upset with him. 

But the truth was, she wasn’t upset with him—at least, Adrien didn’t think so. She had feelings for him, and watching her show of theatrics, he wondered how long she’s had them. How long had she been practicing a confession like this, only to stutter and change the subject when she tried to say it to his face?

He should tell her. He should tell her he’s the real Adrien and not a wax copy. Marinette was leaning in, her eyes fluttering shut, and Adrien knew she’d kiss him if he didn’t take a step back and stop her. 

He didn’t. 

Her eyes fluttered shut just as warm lips pressed against his, only for a moment before she pulled away, leaving a tingling sensation in her wake. He was frozen, too shocked and too afraid to tell her the truth, to see the anger in her eyes when she realized he’d let her tell him things they both knew he wasn’t meant to hear. At least, not until she was ready.

He felt like a horrible friend. He couldn’t tell her the truth  _ now _ . He’d have to stand here and wait for her to leave the room before he followed her, lest he throw away the friendship they had. Marinette hated lying, even more than Adrien, and she would never forgive him if she found out what he’d just done.

Marinette liked him, and he’d been a complete  _ idiot _ for not realizing sooner.

Adrien jerked when he heard Marinette suck in a sharp, alarmed breath. She stumbled back with wide eyes staring at something over his shoulder, then breathed, “Hawk Moth?”

Adrien stiffened. There was no way Hawk Moth was behind him. He never came out of hiding, so why choose now? And why come to the max museum, of all places? Had he learned Adrien’s identity?

Marinette leapt away from Adrien, snatching the parasol off of Aurore’s statue just as a purple blur of movement zipped past Adrien. She swung the parasol above her head, blocking the villain’s cane.

Just as Adrien resolved to move and help his friend, despite the consequences of revealing himself, a voice spoke over the intercoms. “You’re going to play with me, this time?”

“Manon?” Marinette called, Adrien coming to the same conclusion. On top of that, he noticed something off about Hawk Moth. He was silent and still, not trying to take advantage of Marinette’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities. 

“Nope!” Manon shouted. “I am The Puppeteer, and I want to play with you and my statues!”

As if on cue, Hawk Moth snarled and pushed harder against the parasol. Marinette shoved back, pushing him a few feet away and giving her enough time to take off behind her toward the elevator. Hawkmoth chased her, but she made it through the opening in time for the silver doors to close behind her.

Adrien snatched the parasol off the ground as quietly as possible and backed away from the villain. He didn’t get very far before Hawk Moth spun to face him at the sound of his shoe squeaking against the floor, lunching forward with his cane in an offensive strike. Adrien quickly fell into a familiar defensive routine, satisfied with his choice of weapon. They went back and forth for a few minutes, Adrien thinking up a plan and a way to escape to transform before he was sent sprawling onto the cold tile. The breath left him in a rush, and when he looked back up to his enemy, his eyes widened. 

Hawkmoth held his cane above his head, ready to strike a finishing blow. Seeing no other options, Adrien raised an arm above his head and squeezed his eyes shut.  _ I’m sorry, My Lady. _

Something slammed into his side, yanking him off his feet and away from Hawkmoth just as his cane cracked the tile beneath him. Adrien gulped at the sight.

His eyes landed on the woman cradling him in his arms and he let out a relieved breath. Of course his lady would save the day. She always did.

“Go and find a safe place to hide,” she told him as soon as their feet hit the ground. She spun her yo-yo at her side, a determination in her eyes that made Adrien’s heart soar. “I’ll handle this.”

She took off toward Hawk Moth, and Adrien took his chance to run toward the elevator Marinette disappeared into. He needed to transform, and quick. 

The doors had barely shut before Plagg’s nasally, judgmental voice filled his ears. “I knew posing as a statue would be a bad idea.”

Adrien sighed at his kwami. “We can talk about Marinette later. Right now, it’s time to transform. Plagg, claws out!”

When he finally made it back to the battlefield, Adrien wasn’t sure whether or not to be surprised to see Ladybug with her yo-yo wrapped around their enemy. “You’ve captured Hawk Moth?”

“I wish,” she groaned. With a quick tug of her yo-yo, the string sliced through Hawk Moth, leaving him pieces on the floor.

“Oh!” Chat exclaimed. That must’ve been why Hawk Moth was acting weird. He was one of Puppeteer’s minions. “A wax statue.”

Ladybug shot a glare toward the statue pieces in the floor, but Chat didn’t think the glare was meant for the wax. “The Puppeteer’s back. She must be here somewhere.”

Chat thought of Manon and what she must’ve been feeling to find herself akumatized again. Was she upset with Marinette? He balled a fist in front of his face with a fiery determination. He couldn’t let anything bad happen to her. “We have to save her.”

Ladybug’s eyes lit up. She had an idea. “The heroes room!” She turned to face her partner, her hands enfolding his closed fist. “That’s where she found his statue!”

✦

Adrien’s leg bounced in rapid, anxious succession.

His driver had just dropped Alya and Nino off, and were currently parked outside of Manon’s house, where Marinette was dropping her off to her mother. His thoughts were a mess. He wanted so badly to pull her aside and ask her if she really meant what she said—if she really was as in love with him as she implied—but he knew he couldn’t. If he asked her about her feelings, she’d know he wasn’t really a statue, and she’d never forgive him for a lie like that.

When Marinette stepped out of Mme. Chamack‘ should, Adrien clambered our of the car ad opened the door for her climb inside, following soon after. They remained in silence, Adrien acutely aware of her quick, subtle glances and unable to control his own.

He should tell her. He knew he should tell her but he couldn’t bring himself to. What could he even say? Where would he begin?  _ Hey, Marinette! So, turns out I was posing as a statue while you confessed your feelings for me and kissed me, and didn’t tell you the truth because I’m a huge coward! Oh, by the way, I can’t return your feelings because I’m in love with Ladybug! _ He sighed. Ladybug hated his pranks, too. 

Marinette twisted in her seat to face him, a frown gracing her soft features. “Adrien? Are you okay?” 

He opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to think of an answer, before giving her the same small smile he gave the cameras at photo shoots. He most definitely was  _ not _ okay. “I’m fine, Marinette. I was just thinking about something a friend said.”

Plagg vibrated with laughter in his over-shirt. Of course he’d think this was hilarious. Adrien reached up to adjust his seatbelt and made sure to smush Plagg with his arm before dropping it. He had to smother his victorious grin when he no longer felt the kwami’s laughter.

Marinette swallowed and places her hand on his in a feather light touch. “I-I know we aren’t v-very close, but you can talk to me, Adrien.” 

He was proud of her for getting out such a clear sentence when he could now tell how nerve racking it was for her. She could barely speak to him, and knowing the truth behind her reasons, he felt sympathetic. Their entire friendship, she’d tried so hard, but her feelings got in the way. Adrien made his decision. He wouldn’t tell Marinette about what he heard. While he wanted to be honest, he found no point when all it would do is embarrass her and hurt her feelings. However, he also resolved to become better friends with her, now that he knew she didn’t hate him. “I know, Marinette. Thank you.”

She smiled warmly, then pulled her hand away quickly to place it with her other one in her lap. She stared down at them with flushed cheeks, and he pretended not to notice.


End file.
